In this review, we will be comparing Rubikore 2 and Silver 100 8G, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Rubikore 2 and Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Rubikore 2 | Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Soft-Dome | 1" gold dome C-CAM |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 3" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Wood fibre | 8" C-CAM RST III |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-26k Hz | 33-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-150 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 12.10kg / 26.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.78" x 7.68" x 13.19"
350 x 195 x 335 mm | 17-5/16" x 9-1/16" x 13-15/16"
440.0 x 230.0 x 354.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Rubikore 2 is a 2-way design whereas the Silver 100 8G is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
DALI Rubikore 2Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Rubikore 2 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 3-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Rubikore 2 features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the Silver 100 8G features a 1" gold dome C-CAM Tweeter, a 3" Midrange and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 610Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Rubikore 2 has a frequency range of 50-26k Hz whereas Silver 100 8G has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Silver 100 8G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Rubikore 2's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Rubikore 2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Silver 100 8G which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Rubikore 2 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 87 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Silver 100 8G can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Rubikore 2 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Silver 100 8G.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Rubikore 2 and Silver 100 8G features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI Rubikore 2's and Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G's external dimensions. DALI Rubikore 2 has external dimensions of 350 x 195 x 335 mm () whereas Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G has external dimensions of 440.0 x 230.0 x 354.0mm (17-5/16 x 9-1/16 x 13-15/16inch).
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 90mm taller and 19mm deeper than DALI Rubikore 2.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G needs about 25% more floor or shelf area. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 19mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is 90mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the DALI Rubikore 2 is approximately 653.2cm2 / 101.2inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver 100 8G is approximately 814.2cm2 / 126.2inch2. The Rubikore 2 requires 20% less surface area than the Silver 100 8G which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.